Ribbon of Highway. Texas- and Oklahoma-based singer-songwriters including Jimmy LaFave, Slaid Cleaves, and Eliza Gilkyson tour the U.S. on the Woody Guthrie tribute Ribbon of Highway--Endless Skyway tour. By Melanie Haiken.

Second Wind. Flatpicker Kenny Smith and his wife Amanda form a band rooted in traditional bluegrass. By Kenny Berkowitz.

Q&AManuel Contreras Guitars. Short profile of luthier Manuel Gonzalez Contreras who built guitars for Ramirez before opening his own shop in Madrid, Spain. By Charles Vega.Heat Damage. Advice on protecting your guitar in a car trunk in the heat. By Teja Gerken.Licks vs. Riffs. An explanation of the differences and similarities between licks and riffs, and the confusion over their precise meanings. By Andrew DuBrock.

PRIVATE LESSONSLeft-Hand Muting. The musical uses of and techniques for muting your strings with your left hand. By David Hamburger.Fingerstyle Techniques. Freeing the fingers from assigned strings in fingerstyle guitar playing. By Teja Gerken.